Jakub Blaszczykowski: Liverpool Step up Chase for Bundesliga Star Winger & Final Piece in the Jigsaw?
Reports today suggest Liverpool’s £5m bid for Borussia Dortmund winger Jakub Blaszczykowski has been rejected. The 22-year-old Polish international is a major target for Rafa Benitez and considered by many to be the final piece in the jigsaw for the Spaniard.
Blaszczykowski is a right winger and would finally provide balance to a Reds side that has been using Dutch forward Dirk Kuyt in that role. The Anfield giants are unbeaten this season and have an extremely strong spine to their team but have been criticised for lacking the width to compete with fellow title chasers Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal. However, Albert Riera’s recent arrival and the increasing interest in Blaszczykowski suggests that the width and balance the team has been crying out for will be in place by January.
The Polish international begun his career with Wisla Krakow in his homeland. He made a total of 51 League appearances over 3 seasons and scored 4 goals before a 3 million Euro move to Germany.
In his first season in the Bundesliga, Blaszczykowski impressed playing the majority of the time on the right wing where his pace and dribbling ability could be used to maximum affect. However, he has also been used as a wing-back on occasions so his versatility would certainly appeal to Benitez.
The 5 ft 9 winger made 24 League appearances (22 starts) in his debut season for Borussia as the club finished a disappointing 13th. However, this season the team have performed well and are currently 6th in the Bundesliga having lost just one of their 7 League games. Blaszczykowski has played in every League games (6 starts) and his dynamic form has alerted Benitez to his talents.
The 22-year-old has made 16 appearances for his country and scored once. He was unfortunate not to play a part at Euro 2008 as he had to withdraw through to injury despite being named. In fact, the winger was a key component to Poland’s excellent qualification campaign as was sorely missed in the finals. Blaszczykowski made his debut in March 2006 but was not called up to the final 2006 World Cup squad so has been rather unfortunate at international level.
If he does sign for Liverpool then their fans won’t have to worry about getting his long name on the back of their replica shirts as he usually has ‘Kuba’ on it as it is shortened version of his Christian name. If Benitez can bring in this quick, talented winger then Liverpool may well have the balance and the personnel to put an end to their 18-year wait for the title.
Do you feel the club needs a new right winger or are Dirk Kuyt and Jermaine Pennant good enough? Would the signing of a good right winger give the squad the quality to finally win the title? Let’s hear your views.
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Tags: Borussia Dortmund, Jakub Blaszczykowski, Liverpool, Poland
October 10th, 2008 at 12:21
This boy is class … I would love us to sign him. Reminds me of Andrei Kanchelskis
October 10th, 2008 at 12:24
He is quality and hard working would mean the Reds have best midfield in the PL
October 10th, 2008 at 14:33
He does look class but he is no David Bentley, we should have signed him!
October 10th, 2008 at 15:16
I am sure he is a good player but will this reporter and everybody else stop using that tired boring expression ‘last piece of the puzzle’ such banality belongs in The S*n, Star and no where else
October 10th, 2008 at 17:20
kuba is good.. but what happens to dirk kuyt then? he’s been really good this season, honestly, he looks like the most hardworking player on the field at times and he is performing his best this season since he joined the reds. i used to not agree for liverpool to sell jermaine pennant, but kuba is really a young talent. its either kuba or pennant, kick one out. but in my opinion, go for kuba.
October 10th, 2008 at 17:36
has it really come down to this we are being linked with sub standard players cause we can’t afford real quality so we are making ok players sound like world beaters antonio valencia whats he done and now some polish player we can’t even pronounce, poland aren’t exactly a great footballing nation but i suppose we are getting used to second rate players kuyt,lucas,arbeloa,aurelio,dossena, degen,it’s a sad day for liverpool fans everywhere
October 10th, 2008 at 17:37
benitez get podolski he’s class
October 10th, 2008 at 18:17
Rich,
>> we are being linked with sub standard players cause we can’t afford real quality
By that metric, we wouldn’t have signed Sami who was a virtual unknown at the time. I haven’t seen much of this guy but I bet you haven’t neither. You don’t always have to spend big money to get quality and sometimes you can spend big and get pants, just ask Fergie about Veron
>> poland aren’t exactly a great footballing nation
Neither are England, doesn’t stop everyone from wanting to sign Gerrard. It doesn’t matter where they’re from, if he’s good enough to get us closer to the Premiership, then bring him on!
October 10th, 2008 at 19:09
First of all Borussia won’t sell him. He is like “to be or not to be” for them. rich, u should watch their games time to time :), Kuba is their engine and their mind. He is only 22 and already best right midfield in Bundesliga. In Euro’08 qualifs Pol-Por he played against Christiano Ronaldo and big CR looked like a kid (u should have watched that one..lol). If The Reds get him they gonna win title.
October 10th, 2008 at 20:57
The only concern is his health. His last seasons in Bundesliga were shortened by injuries. The same was with Euro2008. I reckon football in Premiership is much tougher than in Germany…
October 10th, 2008 at 21:02
He may be unheard of and possibly second rate but imo same can be said for Reira and he is brilliant for us. With this guy i reall only se us needing 2 full backs and we wil have the best team on this planet
October 11th, 2008 at 04:27
if he win the rw position then kuty n babel will start on fw ….nicely done…
October 11th, 2008 at 17:07
kuyt and babel will start on fw? then where’s torres?
October 11th, 2008 at 19:28
I’m just watching Pol-Czech Rep. qualif game…amazing play from Kuba, he passed 3 players made an assist and 1-0 for Poland after 1st half…oh boy, price is goin up…
October 11th, 2008 at 19:45
I am watching as well. Wonderfull Kuba’s goal and 2-0 for Poland. Oh yes- price is going up for sure
October 11th, 2008 at 22:06
At the moment our best player. He was essential in our 2-1 win over Czech Rep. I would love to see him in The Reds shirt!!! I’m a big fan of Liverpool!
October 11th, 2008 at 23:42
Poland-Czech R. 2-1. With no doubt Kuba was a man of the match. Played brilliantly through out the game, had an assist and scored wonderfull goal(Petr Cech no chance…)!
October 12th, 2008 at 14:04
Indeed, he was briliant against Czech. Havent seen a harder working player in long time, such agility, and he’s only 22yr.
Benitez sign him!
October 24th, 2008 at 21:57
hey rich! Podolski is polish as well